What every Premier League club needs in the January transfer window: A striker for Arsenal, a centre-back for Liverpool…

Goncalo Inacio for Sporting, Ivan Toney for Brentford and Kalvin Phillips for Manchester City. TEAMtalk montage.

The January transfer window is now open and all 20 Premier League clubs will be looking to make new signings. 

Mid-season signings can have a huge impact as some teams try and cement a European place and others look to avoid relegation to the Championship.

We’ve taken a look at which position each Premier League club needs to strengthen in the January transfer window before picking a player they should try and sign.

Unsurprisingly, strikers are the most in-demand players but some goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders could also be on the move in January.

Arsenal January transfer needs

Priority position: Striker

Potential target: Ivan Toney

Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah aren’t prolific goalscorers and Arsenal need to add more firepower to their squad if they are to win their first Premier League title since 2004.

Toney scored 20 Premier League goals for Brentford last season and TEAMtalk understands that Mikel Arteta has made the 27-year-old one of his top targets.

Aston Villa need attacking addition

Priority position: Striker

Potential target: Kelechi Iheanacho or Timo Werner

While Ollie Watkins has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season, Villa will be competing on three fronts in 2024 and they a back-up option.

Iheanacho has just six months left on his Leicester City contract and Werner could be available on loan from RB Leipzig.

Bournemouth seeking striker signing 

Priority position: Striker

Potential target: Patson Daka

Alongside Villa, Bournemouth also need to sign a back-up striker as they don’t want to become over-reliant on Dominic Solanke.

The Cherries were heavily linked with Daka in the summer transfer window and could reignite their interest in the Leicester City striker in January.

Brentford may need Ivan Toney successor

Priority position: Striker

Potential targets: Thijs Dallinga or Eddie Nketiah

Brentford have struggled for goals during Toney’s suspension and they could lose their talisman on a permanent basis in the January transfer window.

The Bees may try to sign Nketiah as part of a Toney deal and TEAMtalk understands that they have been tracking Toulouse striker Thijs Dallinga, who recently scored home and away against Liverpool in the Europa League.

Brighton look vulnerable at full-back

Priority position: Full-back

Potential targets: Valentin Barco or Wesley Franca

Brighton need more cover in the full-back positions as the likes of Joel Veltman, Tariq Lamptey, Pervis Estupinan and James Milner have all struggled with injuries this season.

The Seagulls have developed a knack of unearthing gems from South America in recent years and they are reportedly interested in Boca Juniors left-back Valentin Barco and Flamengo right-back Wesley Franca.

Burnley paying attention to loan options

Priority position: Left-back

Potential targets: Ian Maatsen or Sergio Reguilon

After enjoying a successful loan spell at Burnley in 2022/23, Maatsen rejected a permanent move to Turf Moor in the summer as he vowed to fight for his place at Chelsea.

Vincent Kompany’s side may make a fresh attempt to sign the 21-year-old in January but they should also consider a loan bid for Reguilon, who has just returned to Tottenham after spending the first half of the season at Manchester United.

Chelsea desperate for big-name No 9

Priority position: Striker

Potential targets: Victor Osimhen or Viktor Gyokeres

Chelsea have struggled for goals this season and they will undoubtedly target a high-profile striker in the January transfer window.

Gyokeres is enjoying a brilliant debut campaign at Sporting CP and Chelsea have also been linked with Osimhen, who has a £112million release clause in his Napoli contract.

Chelsea and Liverpool target Victor Osimhen of Napoli

Chelsea target Victor Osimhen

Crystal Palace could benefit from new midfielder

Priority position: Midfielder

Potential targets: Pierre Ekwah or Adam Wharton or Hayden Hackney

After Cheick Doucoure suffered a season-ending injury in November, a new midfielder moved to the top of Crystal Palace’s shopping list.

Ekwah, Wharton and Hackney – who play for Sunderland, Blackburn and Middlesbrough respectively – have been starring in the Championship and can make the step up to the Premier League.

Everton need transfer reinforcements in key area

Priority position: Midfielder

Potential targets: Kalvin Phillips or Leander Dendoncker

While Everton need more options in the midfield department, they may have to pursue the loan market due to their financial problems.

Phillips will be allowed to leave Manchester City on loan in the January transfer window and Dendoncker has fallen out of favour at Aston Villa.

Fulham wary of Palhinha exit

Priority position: Midfielder

Potential targets: Andre or Quinten Timber

Bayern Munich look set to reignite their interest in Joao Palhinha and Fulham may have to sign a replacement for the Portugal international.

Andre – who plays for Fluminense – has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs and Timber helped Feyenoord win the Eredivisie title last season.

Liverpool, Fulham linked Fluminense midfielder Andre

Liverpool, Fulham linked Fluminense midfielder Andre

Liverpool desperate for left-sided central defender

Priority position: Left-sided centre-back

Potential targets: Goncalo Incacio or Lloyd Kelly

Virgil van Dijk has rediscovered his best form this season and Liverpool now need a left-footed centre-back to play alongside him.

TEAMtalk understands that they have scouted Sporting centre-back Goncalo Inacio for over two years, but Kelly would represent a cheaper option as his Bournemouth contract expires at the end of the season.

Luton Town have defensive need

Priority position: Centre-back

Potential targets: Nat Phillips or Eiran Cashin

After club captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest in December, Luton should get some centre-back cover in the January transfer window.

Liverpool are set to send Phillips out on loan once again after he returned from Celtic and Derby County’s Eiran Cashin is regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the Football League.

Manchester City may fancy new left-back

Priority position: Left-back

Potential targets: Alphonso Davies or Ian Maatsen

While Josko Gvardiol has played at left-back for City this season, Pep Guardiola’s side don’t possess a specialist in that position.

TEAMtalk understands that City are keeping an eye on Davies’ contract situation at Bayern Munich and they are also keen on Maatsen.

Manchester United have clear January transfer need

Priority position: Striker

Potential targets: Medhi Taremi or Serhou Guirassy

United’s budget has been squeezed by Financial Fair Play restrictions but they still need to sign an experienced centre-forward in January.

Taremi could cost around £10million as his Porto contract expires at the end of the season and Guirassy has a £15.2million release clause in his Stuttgart contract.

Newcastle United need new midfielder

Priority position: Midfielder

Potential targets: Kalvin Phillips or Conor Gallagher

After Sandro Tonali received a 10-month ban from football for breaching betting rules, Newcastle were left light in midfield.

Phillips has been deemed surplus to requirements by Manchester City and Chelsea will reportedly entertain bids for Gallagher in an effort to raise funds for a new striker.

Nottingham Forest need new goalkeeper

Priority position: Goalkeeper

Potential targets: Keylor Navas or Aaron Ramsdale

Forest will probably target a new goalkeeper in January, with summer signings Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos yet to fully convince.

Navas spent the second half of last season on loan at the City Ground and they should make an ambitious move for Ramsdale, who has lost his starting place at Arsenal and wants to be playing regularly ahead of Euro 2024.

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale

Sheffield United need cover for top star

Priority position: Goalkeeper

Potential targets: Tom Heaton or Kasper Schmeichel

While Sheffield United have struggled in front of goal this season, they should prioritise a move for a new goalkeeper as Wes Foderingham has made a number of high-profile errors.

Heaton is currently the third-choice goalkeeper at Manchester United and former Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel would reportedly be open to a return to the Premier League.

Tottenham transfer need is clear to Postecoglou

Priority position: Centre-back

Potential targets: Radu Dragusin or Tosin Adarabioyo

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven formed an impressive partnership at the start of the season but injuries and suspensions have highlighted Tottenham’s lack of depth at centre-back.

Spurs have already agreed personal terms with Genoa centre-back Radu Dragusin, but Adarabioyo would be a good fall-back option as his Fulham contract expires at the end of the season.

West Ham United seeking transfer boost

Priority position: Left-winger

Potential targets: Filip Kostic or Samuel Iling-Junior

West Ham have made a brilliant start to the season and they should now pursue a left-winger to allow Lucas Paqueta to play more centrally.

The Hammers hold a long-standing interest in Kostic and have also been linked with his Juventus team-mate Samuel Iling-Junior, who has grown frustrated by his lack of playing time in Italy.

Wolves could do with another striker option

Priority position: Striker

Potential targets: Che Adams or Hugo Ektike

Having missed out Rafiu Durosinmi in recent weeks, Wolves are still in the market for a striker as they look to ease the burden on Hwang Hee-chan.

Adams has just six months left on his Southampton contract and Paris Saint-Germain would reportedly be willing to loan out Ektike.

READ MORE: 12 of the biggest stars who could be on the move in January: Sancho, Ramsdale, Toney…